One of the hardest parts about being a resident in college is the fact that you can't see your pets everyday. But when you finally go home, the best moment is when you walk through your door and are greeted by your pets that you have missed for weeks. However, even though I love many different types of animals, dogs are the reason why going home is so amazing for me. The moment you walk through the door, dogs are always excited to see you return. And then when you get to spend of few days with them, you remember all over again why you missed then so much.
I feel like dogs are magically creatures. They have so many healing powers, and yet are so eager to please. Dogs are like that best friend that has to listen because they literally can't talk back. Because of these reasons, dogs are the ultimate best friend. They listen to you, comfort you, and always love you. These are the best qualities in a person, and yet you can usually find them in a dog.
When they say dog is man's best friend, they are not lying. Not only are they loyal, they are basically counselors but with a lot of fur. According to a National Geographic article entitled "The Healing Power of Dogs", there is a scientific reason to why dogs are used for therapy. A quote from a researcher, Brian Hare, explains this by saying:
"The human-canine bond goes back thousands of years. Dogs descend from wolves and have been attracted to humans ever since we began living in settlements—a source of tasty garbage. That created an advantage for wolves to live near humans, and since it tended to be the less aggressive wolves that could do this more effectively, they essentially self-domesticated over time."
The article continues to explain that dogs do indeed have empathy. They are very sensitive beings and therefore actually do care for the people around them. This is why humans use dogs for therapy purposes and often look for comfort from their pets. A study was done by Debbie Custance, a psychologist, who had volunteers pretend to cry or show distress in front of dogs. She said the response was extraordinary.
"Nearly all of the dogs came over to nuzzle or lick the crying person, whether it was the owner or a stranger, while they paid little attention when people were merely humming."
Basically, dogs are the best medicine. I love my two dogs, and even though they probably do get annoyed for my constant hugs and affection, I know they do like me. This is why going home never gets old. The moment I step through the door my stress of the semester leaves, and all I can think about is how long I can hug my dogs until they get mad at me.
